Large turnout in Fairhaven and Acushnet

Voters in Acushnet and Fairhaven turned out in large numbers Tuesday for the presidential and state election, with 72 percent of voters in Acushnet going to the polls and 76 percent in Fairhaven.

According to the Acushnet Town Clerk's office, the turnout was "very unusual, high."

President Barack Obama received 3,021 votes in Acushnet to 2,183 for Mitt Romney. 59 for Gary Johnson and 26 for Jill Stein.

In the U.S. Senate race, Elizabeth Warren garnered 2,744 votes in Acushnet to 2,529 for Scott Brown. Rep. William Keating won easily in Acushnet with 2,772 votes to 1,344 for Christopher Sheldon and 806 for Daniel Botelho.

Acushnet voters were in sync with state results on the questions, voting yes on Question 1 to provide car owners and independent repair services with access to diagnostic systems by a large margin of 3,651 to 795. They voted no on legalizing assisted suicide, or Question 2, with 1,860 yes and 3,204 no. And they favored legalizing the medical use of marijuana, or Question 3, by 2,947 to 2,048.

At the Council on Aging polling place in the morning, Town Clerk Pamela Labonte brought in provisional ballots cast by residents who hadn't returned the census. She said they would have to verify their residency status, adding that most did come to the polls and would be able to do so then.

In Fairhaven, Obama received 5,019 votes to 3,082 for Romney. Johnson received 108 and Stein, 46. Warren won handily over Brown by a margin of 4,514 to 3,737.

The tally for Keating was 4,802 in Fairhaven to 2,026 for Sheldon and 954 for Botelho. Candidates for state senator and representative were unopposed.

Voters said yes to question one in Fairhaven by a margin of 6,410 to 1,050, and no to question 2 by 4,240 to 3,663. They approved question 3 by 5,174 to 2,679.

Town Clerk Eileen Lowney said turnout was actually down 2 percent from 78 percent in the last presidential election. She said some voters who hadn't voted in years went to Oxford School and got confused when it was closed. And some who typically went to the Wood School, which has been torn down, apparently neglected postcards sent in September telling them to vote at the Recreation Center, Ms. Lowney said.